The Red Rose of Gondor
by Bianca1
Summary: A child is born to be powerful. Gandalf hides the child, fearing for her safety. Years later, a teenage Belamir journeys to Rivendell with the wizard to learn of her past. On the way, she gets caught up in the affairs of a young hobbit from the Shire.
1. Prophecy of the Child

Chapter One: Prophecy of the Child  
  
A small baby lay sleeping in the middle of a chamber. It was a pretty baby girl, with brown eyes, and a small amount of red hair. Two men walked into the chamber, in the middle of a discussion.  
  
"This is the baby, Mithrandir. Were your guesses correct?" Denethor asked, , looking at the old wizard. Gandalf's eyes crinkled in worry.  
  
"When I last came, it was before the baby was born, and there was no way to tell if she was Chosen or not. But now..there is no doubt. And that is quite unusual. " He said, and looked at the sleeping child.  
  
"What exactly does this 'Chosen' mean? You never explained that to me."  
  
"The chosen are the humans born, destined to be wizards. They are born with some power, and gain it as they grow and practice their magic. Prophecies can tell when the next will be born."  
  
"How can you tell that this child is the one?"  
  
"Power. The power radiates from them. Usually, there are incantations and rituals that must be performed to know for sure, because they are never born with their full power. But this child...she has the level of power that many learned wizards have. And she was only just born. This is quite unsual."  
  
"Unusual? There is nothing wrong with my daughter, is there?"  
  
"Nothing wrong with her, my dear lord, but I fear she may be in danger with power so great. The Dark Lord's spirit still lives, and this power...he may want it. I must take her somewhere where she will be safe. She must not stay here."  
  
*  
  
  
  
A/N: HahHA! New story! I came up with the idea for this in a DREAM....okay, anyone else think something's weird here? Both my stories are Frodo romances, have the younger sisters of members of the Fellowship (Belamir is Boromir's sister), and have something about roses in the title...hmmm....Anyway, this chapter was probably confusing...it's more like a prologue...the rest of the story take place 16 years later...anyway, seey yah! -Bianca  
  
Disclaimer: I am NOT J.R.R. Tolkein. So I do not own Lord of the Rings or anything related. Lawyers cost more money than I have. So in otherwords, don't sue me. You won't gain anything. Really. I promise. 


	2. The Guest Room

Chapter Two: The Guest Room  
  
A small wooden cart rolled through Hobbiton, driven by a very, very old man in a pointed gray hat. As he talked to a young halfling, the cart hit a bump, and their conversation was interupted by a loud yelp from the back, where there was a large cargo of fireworks. Or, what was mostly fireworks. A girls head popped out from under quiet a few near the back. The halfling looked very alarmed, but the wizard just started laughing as the teen glared at him. "Gandalf! You got more fireworks while I was alseep?" she yelled, pulling herself out from under the things.  
  
"I am sorry, Lady. I needed more, I couldn't run out for Bilbo's party could I?" he asked, and went back to paying attention to the road, for he had almost pulled into a ditch. The girl flipped her long red hair over her shoulder with some arrogance, and didn't voice the thought that, since she had no idea who Bilbo was, she did not care if Gandalf ran out of fireworks.  
  
"Where are we going?" she asked crossly, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back against the side of the cart.  
  
"Bag End." Gandalf said, and she made a noise of iritation, but decided against fighting with a wizard and went on to a new subject.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked the hobbit, who looked surprised at her bluntness.  
  
"I am Frodo Baggins. Who might you be, milady?" he asked, and she smiled.  
  
"I am Belamir the um, Red." she said proudly, even though she faltered slightly in trying to think up a color. The wizard shook his head.  
  
"Belamir, haven't I told you this at least thirty times? You, even when you are finished with your training, which you are not, will not have a color!" he said sternly, and then laughed some. "You are the first female to be a wizard."  
  
"Not wizard. Magestress." she corrected, using the term she had made up, because she didn't think 'wizard' sounded like a good title for a female, especially since the line was wholly male. Except for her, that was. "I am the first, and only, Magestress."  
  
Frodo cleared his throat, and the two stopped bickering. "Well, it's good to meet you, Belamir, and it was wondeful to see you again, Gandalf!" he said, and jumped out of the cart and walked down a path. Belamir watched him go with a small smile on her face. The old wizard looked at her and chuckled. She turned to him sharply.  
  
"What is so funny?" she asked.  
  
"You like him, do you not, milady?" he asked, laughing even more at her shocked face.  
  
"O-Of course not! I mean, I just met him! He is rather attractive, if that is what you mean, but..." she said quickly, color rising to her cheeks. Gandalf shook his head and stopped the cart in front of a very strange looking house. Well, it wasn't exactly a house, since it was built into a hill. It had a green door with a yellow handle in the middle, and there were round windows over a pretty garden. She looked at Gandalf strangely. "What's this?"  
  
"Bag End." he said, and got out of the cart. "The home of the Bagginses, Bilbo and Frodo to be specific."  
  
Belamir made a strange face, and he glared at her. "No, not like that. Honestly, sometimes I do not wish to know what runs through that proud head of yours!" he scolded, and she looked relieved to find out that the attractive young hobbit was not 'involved' with another male. "Frodo is Bilbo's nephew, and heir. Now wait here while I go inside, and see about getting you set up in the guest room."  
  
"I'm staying here?" she asked in surprise, her mouth hanging open. "But..but what about Rivendell?I am supposed to go to Rivendell!"  
  
"You are supposed to go where I tell you you are supposed to go." he said, and her mouth hung open, and moved a couple of times, but no sound came out. Gandalf hummed to himself, ignoring her, and knocked on the door. An old hobbit greeted him, and he went inside the 'house', leaving Belamir to herself. She closed her mouth, crossed her arms, and tried to look proud, despite the fact that she was sitting in the back of a mule-driven cart, with a rumpled dress, sticks in her hair, and dirt smudged on her milky-pale face.  
  
*  
  
A long while later, Gandalf came out again and the old hobbit followed. He beckoned her over, and Belamir scrambled out of the cart without much grace. She stretched, and then walked over to the men. Gandalf put a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him questioningly. "Bilbo, this is Belamir, my apprentice." he said, and the hobbit shook her hand.  
  
"I'm your apprentice?" she asked as she was lead into the 'house', which Bilbo informed her was a hobbit-hole. Gandalf chuckled, and in doing so, almost hit his head on the low ceiling. Belamir noted it, but she wasn't nearly as tall as the old wizard, so she didn't have to worry about getting a concussion from the chandelier.  
  
"That is what they would call you, as you are a very young wizard-" he started, and Belamir interupted him with an annoyed look on her face.  
  
"For one thing, Mister, I am not that young, and for another, it is Magestress, not wizard." she said,, and crossed her arms as the wizard rolled his eyes. He muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, 'Why did it have to one of THAT family?' and continued talking.  
  
"Fine, fine. You are a young magestress, studying magic with the help of an older and wiser wizard." he said, and laughed. "But I believe we did stray off the subject. Bilbo has kindly agreed to let you stay in one of the guest rooms at Bag End. I think you will be quite comfortable, though you may find the ceiling a bit low."  
  
"Believe me, Gandalf. Anything beats being in the infernal cart for another day!" she  
  
Belamir smiled as she was led to her room. It was quite large, and round, she thought with a small laugh. There was a large bed near one side, a wardrobe, and a small desk. Off to one side there was even a door that led to a small bathroom. She looked inside in wonder, and then decided to find out how comfortable the bed as. And, there was no better way to do that, besides with an attractive man, than to jump onto it. And because she didn't have an attractive man for her use at that exact time, she decided to do the latter.  
  
"If you need anything, miss, Gandalf and I will be in the dining room. There are cakes in the kitchen, and help yourself to a few if you're hungry!" said Bilbo, as he and Gandalf walked away. "And if you want to come, you are invited to my birthday party tonight! Any friend of Gandalf's is welcome!"  
  
"Well, alright...I suppose I'll come, but I haven't had time to buy a gift!" she called after them (having next to no knowledge of hobbits, she didn't know that when it was a hobbit's birthday, the hobbit gave gifts to their guests instead of the other way around), which caused both the old hobbit and the wizard to laugh.  
  
Belamir shrugged and went out to the cart to get her bags. While she didn't have to sleep in the back of a cart, and wear the same gown for 3 days in a row, she was going to make the most of it.  
  
*  
  
While having tea, Builbo suddenly remembered something. "Gandalf, I just thought of this- Frodo's room is being painted, and he has been using the guest room we just gave that girl!"  
  
Gandalf laughed into his teacup. "Don't worry, my friend! Belamir has lots of pride, because it is in her family's line. She would usually be expected to rant about having to share a room with anyone, but something tells me that young Master Baggins could cause her to swallow her pride. She seemed quite taken with him."  
  
"Really?" Bilbo laughed, and lit his pipe. "I think she may do the lad some good too. He has plenty of friends, but he spends too much time in that library, reading books over and over again. Maybe the girl will teach him that there's a good life outside the stories too."  
  
*  
  
Frodo jumped over the fence in front of Bag End, and noticed that Gandalf's cart had left. He walked inside and went straight to the guest room he had been sleeping in. He didn't notice the three leather bags in a corner, but he did notice that the door to the bathroom was closed. The party was in a few hours, and he wanted to be early so he could help set up. He would have opened the door anyway,. not knowing that there was anyone else in the house.  
  
So, he opened the door and very nearly yelled at the top of his lungs. There was a girl sitting, quite naked, in the bathtub. She was singing to herself softly, and didn't notice him standing at the door. Her long red hair hung down her back in small, soft curls, and as she turned around to grab her own bar of rose scented soap, Frodo recognized her as the girl he had seen earlier.  
  
She saw him, and screamed at the top of her lungs, and looked around wildly for something to cover herself. In doing this, she only revealed more, and Frodo blushed and tossed her a towel. "How long were you there?" she asked when she had stepped out and wrapped the towel around herself.  
  
"I came in just a few seconds before you saw me." he lied quickly. He had actually been standing there for longer than he had meant to, but she didn't have to know that. Belamir sighed in relief and then laughed a little.  
  
"Well, that's good." she said, and walked into the bedroom past him, and went to her bags. "Can I ask you one question though? Why did you come in here?"  
  
He looked a bit shocked. "Well, I was coming to get ready for the party. And if I may ask you something, milady, but why were you in here?"  
  
"This is the room your uncle gave me, of course. I'm not in your room, am I?" she asked quickly, looking around. He appeared confused at first, but then laughed.  
  
"Bilbo must have forgotten!" he said, and shook his head. "I had been sleeping here, as my room is being painted."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry!" she said, and then wondered what she had just said. Belamir was not one to be sorry, she was one to get what she wanted. Why was she sitting here appologizing for? She looked at the hobbit carefully. iHe's blushing! Why is he blushing?/i She looked down at herself and almost laughed. She was standing in the middle of the room, wearing nothing except a white towel that was made for someone smaller than her. She was barely covered, and when she realized this, blushed too and started to dig through her bags to find her gown.  
  
"Oh, it's no problem, unless you would terribly mind sharing a room!" he said, and she turned to look at him quickly. He immediatly blushed, but she flicked her big brown eyes over him carefully a couple of times and smiled mischeviously.  
  
"No problems here." she said, and walked behind a small screen set up in one corner of the room to change. Meanwhile, Frodo sat down and tried to ignore the fact that there was a naked girl in his room and that his pants were starting to feel a bit too tight.  
  
It wasn't long before she came out from behind the screen, wearing a long gown of burgandy silk, trimmed in gold. He regained most of his composure, now that she was wearing more clothing, and smiled at her. "How do I look?" she asked, spinning around so her skirts twirled gracefully.  
  
"You look wonderful, milady." he said, and smiled back at her.  
  
"Please, call me Bela! After all, we are going to be sharing a bed!"she said, then thought about her words, and blushed almost the same color as her dress. "And you should hurry and change, Frodo, or we're going to be late."  
  
"All right, Bela." he said, and turned to go into the bathroom. Before he closed the door, he gave her one last look as she lay on the bed, humming to herself again and reading a book. He sighed when the door was closed behind him, wondering how he was ever going to control himself when they went to go to sleep!  
  
*  
  
A/N: Hey!!! Okay, that was chapter two! Was it any good? PLEASE REVIEW! Reviewers are my friends! Wait, you probably don't want to be my friend, so that probably wasn't a good thing to say. Okay, I'll just leave it at please review. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM is welcome. FLAMES are not. There is a difference. CC is when you point out specific things that are wrong with the story (lots of spelling/grammar mistakes, plot holes, out of characterness, things that just don't make sense) and give me ideas to fix it. Like the review from Woman of the Dunedain: She told me Denethor was out of character; he hates Gandalf. Flames are when you just review and tell me how much my story sucked, and on and on and on. I usually laugh at them, because it makes me realize how pathetic some people are. I'm not saying that I want you to pretend you like my story, be honest, but tell me why you don't like it! Also, tell me: does Belamir seem like a character, with, well...character? I hope she's not a Mary Sue.  
  
Oh, and chapter three should be up either tomorrow or at least by Sunday. If it's not done by Sunday, it may not be up till next weeked, because as you know, Sunday is Easter, so I will not be at home (unless I run out of Tylonal.) I'll be at my aunt's house, babysitting a couple of little kids. Unfortunately, I'm just getting over the flu, so I'm going to stay at home if my temperature is anything like it has been (it was 103.5 today...). And Monday I'm going to my best friend's boyfriend's (who is like my brother) basketball game (GO JAMESEY! GO TIGERS!), and Tuesday I'm going to Erie to see LORD OF THE RINGS (YAYAYAYAYAY!) and staying with my friend, and the Thursday and Friday I have school. And I have no idea why I just told you my week's schedule, but who gives a fuck? Oh, and this story is rated R, just to warn you. I think from this chapter you can guess why...anyway, bye! And thanks for all the nice reviews!  
  
Disclaimer: I am not J.R.R. Tolkein. So I do no own Lord of the Rings or anything related to Lord of the Rings. I only own the character Belamir, and the plot for this story. I don't have any money, so do not sue me. You'd waste your money on a lawyer. Yeah. Bye. 


	3. An Unexpected Guest at a Long Expected P...

Chapter 3 - An Unexpected Guest at a Long Expected Party  
  
Belamir stood under a tree watching Gandalf entertain a group of hobbit children with some fireworks. She smiled as they chased after several glittering butterflies. Feeling a tug at her skirts she looked down. A small face with two wide green eyes peered up at her through a mop of light brown curls.  
  
"It looks like you've made a friend," a voice said in her ear, and she turned to se Frodo, grinning at her. He ruffled the young hobbit's hair. "Doderic, why don't you go ask Myrtle for a dance while I dance with Bela?"  
  
The child nodded and scurried off to a group of little girls about his age. "Who was that?" she asked, smiling.  
  
"One of my many younger cousins, Doderic Brandybuck."  
  
Belamir giggled as she watched Doderic trying to dance with one of the little girls, and continually tripping over his own feet. "He's sweet."  
  
"As long as you don't give him anything with sugar, yes. He is a little demon if he has too much energy." He said with a laugh, and grabbed her arm. "Now for that dance you promised me! Come on!"  
  
"Hold on! I did not promise you anything!"  
  
"You did now." Frodo said, and he led her out to where many of the adults and hobbits in their tweens were dancing.  
  
"I don't dance," she said, although they had started to dance to the lively tune the band had started. Frodo laughed as she spun away and then back toward him.  
  
"Obviously you are wrong, Bela."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "I usually don't dance. I'm not very good at it, and I often prefer to watch others instead."  
  
"You seem to be dancing well to me."  
  
"I used to dance. When I was younger." she said, and smiled. "I'm out of practice now."  
  
"Well, consider this your practice."  
  
"What if I didn't want to practice?"  
  
"Then you should have said something before now."  
  
"Would you have listened?"  
  
"No." he said, and they both laughed.  
  
When the song ended Belamir and Frodo went to get drinks. He introduced her to three other hobbits, his friend and gardener Samwise Gamgee, and his two cousins, Meriadoc (Merry) Brandybuck and Peregrin (Pippin) Took.  
  
After a while, Merry and Pippin went off in the direction of Gandalf's cart, and Frodo finally convinced Sam to dance with a pretty lass he seemed to have his eye on. Actually, he forced him onto the dance floor, as he was too shy to ask her to dance on his own.  
  
"So," he said, pouring her another glass of wine. "How did you come to be traveling with Gandalf? Surely you're not his daughter, are you?"  
  
Belamir laughed. "No, I'm not his daughter. I'm not really sure how I came to be traveling with him. I have been as long as I can remember. I'm learning magic from him, so I guess it makes sense. Gandalf is the closest person to a father I've ever known."  
  
"Are your real parents.dead?"  
  
"I'm not sure really." She laughed and looked around thoughtfully. "For all I know, they could be. It's not like it matters. I never knew them, so it is hard to feel much for them. If you don't mind my asking, why do you live with your uncle?"  
  
"Bilbo? He is not really my uncle. We are actually cousins, on my father's side. My parents drowned when I was young, and I lived in Buckland with my cousins until Bilbo adopted me as his nephew."  
  
"I'm sorry.about your parents."  
  
"Don't be." He said with a laugh. "You shouldn't worry about what you can't fix. And as I said, I was young. I never really knew them."  
  
"Ah, like me then."  
  
Frodo opened his mouth to reply, but a loud bang from a tent stopped him. The next thing she knew, Belamir and Frodo were on lying on the ground, watching Gandalf's dragon firework pass over head. There were quite a few cheers when it exploded into yellow and gold sparks.  
  
She laughed as she watched Gandalf approach the two soot-covered hobbits, which turned out to be Merry and Pippin. Later, after they were sentenced to washing dishes, she walked by to congratulate them.  
  
"Good job, you two!" she whispered, laughing their soot-covered faces. "Although you look like you just came out of a fireplace."  
  
Merry laughed and handed her a dish. "Care to help, now that you've had a good laugh at us?"  
  
She rolled her eyes, but took the dish and washed it. Pippin came back with a stack of dirty plates and dropped them into the water, splashing Belamir. She yelped and threw a dishrag at him. Soon Merry had joined, and the three were having a large water fight.  
  
***  
  
Later, when Belamir found Frodo, she was completely drenched in dishwater. After he had recovered from laughing, he smiled and raised his eyebrow at her. "What happened to you, Bela?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "I helped your cousins wash dishes for a bit. Chaos ensued."  
  
"Bilbo is going to start his speech soon. Would you care to sit with me?" he asked, and she smiled.  
  
"I'd love to, but if it is alright with you, I was going to go back to Bag End now. I'm tired, and I am starting to get cold."  
  
Frodo laughed again and kissed her on the cheek. "Alright, I will see you later then."  
  
She blushed and started walking back to the hobbit hole, humming tunelessly and grinning from ear to ear.  
  
***  
  
A/N: Well. That was Chapter 3. Yay and all that shit. I finally updated. Woooooow. Chapter 4 to be up soon. I promise. I've already started it. I was going to put part of it in this chapter, but it was too long. Anyway, tell me what you thought! I have no life and live on reviews.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings. Tolkien does. Don't sue me. I'm saving up for a ticket to the Return of the King premiere. Seriously. 


	4. Bilbo's Ring

Chapter 4: Bilbo's Ring  
  
Belamir shivered as she walked toward Bag End. A light breeze stirred her damp curls.  
  
'I should have brought a cloak. It was stupid not to.' she thought. 'Or not so, perhaps. I was warm when I left, and I hadn't expected to be drenched in dish-water.'  
  
When she reached the hobbit-hole, she opened the round green door. She turned round with the intent of closing it, only to see Bilbo Baggins materialize right in front of her. The girl stared at him for a moment, then screamed quite loudly. When finished, she began hurriedly explaining why she was there. "I'm not breaking in, I swear! I just, I was cold, so I, I decided to..to come back here and-  
  
Bilbo laughed and there was a glint of gold as he put something nito his vest pocket. "Not to worry, lass. It's all right!"  
  
Belamir nodded in response, and leaned against the wall for support. Bilbo went off to another room, humming, and soon she heard Gandalf's voice as well. Intrigued, she snuck to the doorway quietly and peeked around ther side to look in.  
  
"And what about this ring of yours?" Gandalf asked. "Is that staying too?"  
  
"Yes, yes. It's in an evnvelope over there on the mantlepiece." Bilbo replied, gesturing to the fireplace as he packed his things. "No. Wait, it's...here in my pocket."  
  
"That must be what he had, then..." Belamir muttered to herself, turning her head a bit to see the two better.  
  
Bilbo took the ring out of his pocket and looked at it in his hand. "Isn't that-? Isn't that odd, now? Yet, after all, why not? Why shouldn't I keep it?"  
  
Gandalf stepped toward him, raising his bushy eyebrows. "I think you should leave the ring behind, Bilbo. Is that so hard?"  
  
"Well, no." Bilbo said, turning to him with a start. He then looked back at the ring, and he started to sound slightly iritated. "And yes. Now that it comes to it, I don't feel like parting with it. It's mine. I found it! It came to me!"  
  
"There's no need to get angry."  
  
"Well, if I'm angry, it's your fault!" He said, and then whispered, as if to the ring in his hands, "It's mine...my own...my precious..."  
  
"Precious? It's been called that before, but not by you."  
  
Bilbo turned around sharply, and his voice was harsh again. "What business is it of yours what I do with my own things?"  
  
"I think you've had that ring quite long enough."  
  
"You want it for yourself!"  
  
Gandalf appeared to grow taller, and his shadow suddenly filled the small room. "Bilbo Baggins! Do not take me for some conjurer of cheap tricks! I am not trying to rob you." He seemd to diminish back into an old man, an the candle light flickered back into life. "I'm trying to help you."  
  
Bilbo approached him, and he kneeled down so he was level with the hobbit. "All your long years, we've been friends. Trust me as you once did. Let it go."  
  
"You're right, Gandalf. The ring must go to Frodo." He picked up his bag and walking stick and opened the door. Belamir hurried and ducked behind a cabinate to avoid being seen.  
  
"Bilbo," Gandalf warned as the hobbit stepped out the door, "The ring is still in your pocket."  
  
He pulled it out, and looked at it in his palm for a moment before letting the gold ring fall to the floor and walking outside. Gandalf followed, and after they said farewell, came back inside. Belamir approached him, after changing into dry clothes.  
  
"Where is Mr. Baggins?" she asked, trying to sound innocent.  
  
"I know you were eavesdropping, Bela. You are not as careful as you may think."  
  
She sighed and rolled her eyes, then bent down to look at the ring. "Oh, you spoil all my fun, do you know that? Anyway, what's so special about this ring? It looks pretty plain to me." she reached down to examine it, but Gandalf grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away, as if she was a small child about to touch a hot pan.  
  
"Do not touch it, Bela."  
  
Getting up, she dusted herself off. "Why not?"  
  
"Because I told you so. Go to your room and begin your studies. You've gotten behind on them today.  
  
"But-"  
  
Gandalf looked at her sternly. "Do as I say, Belamir."  
  
~  
  
Belamir lay on the bedm, stretched on her stomach. A large, dusty book lay open in front of her. As she turned the page, Gandalf walked in through the open door. "Bela," he said, and she looked up. "Pack your things. We will be leaving shortly."  
  
"Why?" she asked flatly, not moving.  
  
"No question, Belamir. Get started, and hurry."  
  
She rolled her eyes, but flopped off the bed and began to put her things back into her bags. After packing, she threw her long, dark green cloak on over the plain blue dress she had changed into. She picked up her bags and headed out to find Gandalf. To her surprise, Frodo was also there. He was holding an envelope, and looked as confused as Belamir felt.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
Gandalf started toward the door. "There are some things I must see to."  
  
Frodo and Belamir followed, the latter almost tripping over a combonation of hobbit, bags, and her own feet. "What things?"  
  
"Questions. Questions that need answering."  
  
"You only just arrived! I don't understand."  
  
Gandalf paused and turned around. "Neither do I. Keep it secret. Keep it safe."  
  
Belamir turned to Frodo as the wizard left. "Well...I suppose this is goodbye. I don't know when I'll see you again."  
  
He smiled and kissed her cheek lightly. "Hopefully soon. Namarie." He said, using the elvish word for farewell.  
  
Belamir smiled sadly as she walked out the door. Turning one last time, she rasised her hand in farwell. Then she followed Gandalf down the path, wiping a small tear away from her eye. "Namarie..."  
  
A/N: Haha...The fourth chapter? You like? Tell me! You know, by reviewing...*wink**cheesy grin* Anyway, the next chapter will take place wehen Gandalf comes back to the Shire and finds out about the ring. I'll have it done before too long, never fear! And I'm working on the next chapter of Roses Have Thorns. I've got the first three paragraphs finished.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings. I think we've already established this in the last 3 chapters, didn't we? Well if we didn't, I don't own Lord of the Rings sooooooooo....... 


	5. The White Wizard

The Red Rose of Gondor  
  
Chapter 5: The White Wizard  
  
"Belamir, hurry up!" Gandalf said as he tied the last of the bags onto the saddle of a large gray-colored stallion. "If you want to get even a fifth of the way to Isengard by nightfall, you need to leave soon and move quickly."  
  
"Oh, alright!" an irritable female voice called out, and Belamir wandered into the clearing. "Why do I have to go see this Saruman guy anyway?"  
  
Gandalf rolled his eyes. "This 'Saruman guy' is the head of my order, as well as yours. You would do well to show him more respect when you arrive." the old wizard reprimanded. "It will do you god to study with him for a time. You've gone on enough adventures with me, and are falling behind in your studies. It wouldn't be a good idea to bring you on another right now."  
  
"I still don't see why I can't go to Rivendell with you." she said, reaching into one of the saddle bags and starting to pull out an apple. "You can't come because you need to go to Isengard and study." smacked her hand away and closed the bag. "Those are for later. Now you'd best be on your way."  
  
Belamir sighed and hugged Gandalf. He laughed and patted her shoulder.  
  
"Don't worry, Lady. You'll be all right. Saruman is wise and powerful. He shall take care of you. You can show me what you've learned when I come to Orthanc."  
  
She pulled herself into the saddle. "When will you be back?"  
  
He thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. Whenever I arrive, I suppose."  
  
"Very funny, Gandalf." she said sarcastically, taking the reigns. "Farewell!"  
  
"Farewell, Belamir." he said, and she rode off in the direction on Isengard quickly.  
  
~*~  
  
"I trust that you haven't tried to poison me again, girl." Saruman said, not taking his eyes off of the scroll he was reading. "Set it on the table."  
  
"One should not be too quick to trust." the servant girl said coldly, pushing a lock of red hair out of her face. "You of all people should know that."  
  
"Oh?" he asked nonchalantly. "And why is that?"  
  
"You were once wise, and people still believe that you are. They trust you upon a look, and you decieve them." she said coldly, setting the tray of food on a small table in the back of the study.  
  
"Yes, that is quite an advantageous quality, don't you agree?" he said, and turned around when there was no answer. He surveyed her as she glared. "Although you seem to have certain...advantages...yourself."  
  
She shot an icy lok at him. "I know what you did to Zalenia when you captured her here." she said, and turned to leave. "You won't do the same to me."  
  
"You have a pretty face when you don't scowl so." she rolled her eyes in disgust, and Saruman continued.  
  
"And take a bite up to that gray friend of yours on the roof. I'd like to keep him alive. He may yet be useful to our cause."  
  
"Your cause. Never mine." she said, walking out.  
  
~*~  
  
Zalenia tended to the fire in the kitchen alone when Belamir arrived in the kitchens again. She watched as the girl walked in and smiled. "Bela!"  
  
She smiled weakly and began preparing a meal for Gandalf. She put a few loaves of bread in a basket, some fresh fruit, and as an afterthough, a pipe and a pouch of pipe weed. The she set about to making a stew.  
  
Zalenia grinned. "Finally going to eat, are you?"  
  
She shook her head while chopping up vegatables. "For Gandalf."  
  
"You need to eat, Bela. You can't go on forever without food. You look like death walking!" she said, and shrugged. "Although I probably shouldn't talk. I haven't seen the sun in the 5 I've been here."  
  
"I haven't been outside since I was sixteen years old!" Belamir yelled, her hand shaking and a tear rolling down her cheek. She accidentally cut herself with the knife and a bit of blood ran down her finger and onto the counter. She ignored it and continued making the stew.  
  
"I'm sorry, I-" Zalenia started, but Belamir cut her off.  
  
"No, don't be. I get angry easily...I've always had a bad temper..." she said, and then smiled a bit. "Besides, someone very wise once told me that you shouldn't be sorry about things you can't change."  
  
zalenia smiled and pushed a lock of Sandy blonde hair out of her face. "Gandalf?"  
  
"No...someone else....A hobbit by the name of Frodo Baggins."  
  
She laughed and smelled the stew. "A hobbit?" she asked. "It smells delicious by the way."  
  
"Thank you, Zal. You can have some if you want. And yes, a hobbit. Is that so hard to believe?" Belamir said.  
  
"No, it's not that hard to believe, it's just...not many people consider halflings to be all that wise." Zalenia said, shrugging.  
  
"Not many are..." Belamir said with a small laugh. "But Frodo was. He was kind, too. And his eyes..."  
  
She laughed at her friend's dreamy smile. "Someone's in love..."  
  
Belamir blushed scarlet. "No I am NOT! It was just a silly little crush. I was only 16 when I met him."  
  
~*~  
  
Belamir sighed and took a bite of an apple. Gandalf laughed as she stared up at the full moon with amazement.  
  
"I don't remember you having a fascination with the sky, Lady." he said, and she shrugged.  
  
"This is the most time I';ve spent outside in 16 years. I'm enjoying it." She took another bite from the apple and Gandalf laughed.  
  
"You're nearly 32 years old, and you still remind me of the 16 year old I knew so long ago." he said, and she shrugged.  
  
"I'm not." she said dully. "I never will be again. I'll never get out of this hell-hole. I can't believe they cut all the trees down."  
  
Gandalf shook his head. "That is why I hoped you would find me, Lady. There is something I need to talk to you about."  
  
Belamir turned back to him, tering her eyes away form the glowing caverns so far below. She hated heights. "About the orcs tearing out the trees?"  
  
"No." he said impatiently. "About you. You need to escape, Bela. And you need to go find Frodo."  
  
A/N: Hehehe. Cliff Hanger! I'll try to get the nextn chapter up ASAP.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR. Duh.. 


	6. The Changing of the Guard

The Red Rose of Gondor  
  
Chapter 6 - The Changing of the Guard  
  
Belamir's mouth dropped open. "I need to what?"  
  
Gandalf lit his pipe calmly. "You need to escape. After you have accomplished that, you need to go find Frodo. And stop looking at me so, Lady, I haven't hit my head."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Exactly how do you expect me to escape? There is no way out, at least none without a guard!"  
  
"Do no be so sure of yourself, Bela," he said, giving her a stern look.  
  
"So you mean to tell me that there is a way out, without a guard? One that I have failed to find?" she asked, one thin, arched eyebrow raised in skepticism. "Believe me, Gandalf. I have spent 16 years here, and I am still here. I have searched every inch of this place. There is no way to escape."  
  
"You're only partially right, Belamir." he said, and chuckled to himself when she glared. She still had the arrogance and pride that she had inherited from her father. "Though it is not my point, there is no guard up here, and this could be viewed as a way of escaping."  
  
"Well it's not a very good one, now is it?" she said, rolling her eyes and glancing out over the glowing caverns. "No one in their right mind would try to escape from up here. They would never make it."  
  
"We shall see...we shall see..." Gandalf said quietly, looking at the moon.  
  
Belamir turned to look at him sharply. "You don't mean for me to jump off of here, do you?" she asked, her eyes going wider. "Because if you do, you may as well go yourself, because I'd rather stay here."  
  
He laughed and shook his head. "No, Lady, I do not mean for you to go from here. I mean for you to go through the front doors."  
  
She raised her eyebrow again. "You can't be serious."  
  
"I am quite serious, Belamir. You mentioned that you searched every inch, but have you though about the minutes?" he asked, and she blinked a few times.  
  
"Gandalf, what are you talking about?" she asked, wondering if he had indeed hit his head and somehow forgotten about it.  
  
"Have you got a clock?" he asked, and she fished around in the pocket of her dress and pulled out a tiny gold watch. She tossed it to him, and he opened it and checked the time. "Ah, yes, Midnight. Belamir, look down there and tell me what you see."  
  
Belamir shook her head, feeling quite certain that the old wizard had gone mad, but complied reluctantly. She peered down over the edge, and stared down, trying not to think of how high up she was. "Nothing...I mean nothing out of the ordinary..."  
  
"What about where the front doors would be?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes. She spotted the path toward the forest, and looked at it.  
  
"Um, there are two little things moving away from the Tower...I think they're orcs, but I can't tell from here." she said, squinting to see better. "They're gone...there's nothing now..."  
  
"Just as I thought." Gandalf said, and handed her the watch back. "In about ten minutes, two more should come back. Have you guesses anything yet?"  
  
She shook her head, shuddering. "No. I am still utterly confused. How am I supposed to go out the front doors, when there are orcs there?"  
  
"I had hoped you would figure this out on your own, but it doesn't matter. It is not the place of escape we must be concerned with, but the time, Lady. What you have just witnessed is the changing of the guard. It happens at the same time every night," he said, and her mouth opened as she began to understand. "You must go during that time, and make for the southeastern border of Isengard as quickly as you can. You will have roughly ten minutes, so you will have to go quickly and quietly. You should be relatively safe ounce you get outside the circle where the caverns lie, but you must not stop until you are al least a day away from Isengard, and safely out of sight."  
  
Belamir nodded, and chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. Then, she looked up at the moon and then turned to Gandalf. "I can't. They'll see me for sure in the moonlight, whether there are guards or not!"  
  
He smiled, and shook his head. "That is why you must leave tomorrow night, when there will be no moon."  
  
"There are still lights." she said, shaking her head. "If they catch me, they will kill me...or worse." She shuddered, remembering Saruman's words to her, and Zalenia's account of what had been done to her.  
  
"Do you still have that cloak the elves made for you in Lothlorien?" he asked, and she nodded.  
  
"He allowed me to keep my clothes, although most of them have been made into work dresses now." she grimaced, remembering having to ruin most of her pretty dresses to make them more practical for working. "Gowns have little use when you're a servant."  
  
Gandalf nodded. "Wear that cloak, then. It should hide you as well as you need. Orcs do not see well anyway, they shouldn't notice you unless you decide to make a spectacle of yourself."  
  
She sighed, and shrugged her shoulders. "Where do I go once I get past the border?"  
  
"Continue southeast, and go to Edoras. You should reach it in a couple of days. Ask for a fast horse at the gate. Give them your name, and they should grant it to you without questioning. Then make for Bree. Frodo should arrive soon after you come, or shortly before, if he started out when he told me he would." Gandalf said, and then handed her a small coin- like piece of silver with the 'G' rune engraved on its surface. "Should they give you trouble at Edoras, show him this. The guards should comply to your requests after that, or at least King Theoden will."  
  
She blinked, and pocketed it, making a mental note find out what an ent was when she went back to her room. "And.why is Frodo going to Bree?"  
  
"He is passing through Bree on his way to Rivendell. Hopefully, his journey will end there." Gandalf said, looking slightly pained. "Have you got any money?"  
  
"Yes, I've got a pouch of gold coins hidden at the bottom of my bag." She said, and twisted a lock of hair around her finger idly. "Why is he going to Rivendell?"  
  
"Do you remember that golden ring on the floor after Bilbo's party?" he asked, and she thought for a moment.  
  
"I think so." she said slowly. "The one you told me not to touch?"  
  
"Yes, that's the one." The old wizard said with a nod, and Belamir looked pleased with herself. "You know the story of the One Ring, of course."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "How could I forget it?"  
  
He laughed lightly. "You have your ways, I'm sure, milady. Bilbo's ring was the One Ring. He found it in Gollum's cave."  
  
She stared blankly as she had when he first told her his plans for her to escape. "You're serious? What does that have to do with Frodo?"  
  
"Frodo inherited the Ring, and now he must take it to Rivendell. There is too much to explain now." Gandalf said, and nodded to her. "You will hear about it when you get to Rivendell, or from Frodo if her chooses to tell you about it."  
  
"Alright.but what about you, Gandalf?" she asked as she stood up and dusted the back of her skirt with her hands. "How are you going to escape?"  
  
"That is not important. I will try to meet you in Bree, although I cannot make any promises. Do not wait for me too long, and go immediately if things don't feel right. You will be able to tell, trust me." He said, and smiled. "Never linger too long in one spot, and make for Rivendell as quickly as you can. If you do not see me before you get there, that is where I shall meet you."  
  
"Alright." she said, and turned to leave. "Farewell, Gandalf."  
  
~*~  
  
The next night, Belamir sat in her room, watching the clock carefully. Five minutes until midnight.  
  
She threw her elven cloak around her shoulders and walked out of her room. It took her about five minutes to get up to the main entrance. When she got there, she stood against the wall, out of sight, and watched the orcs outside the slightly opened doors. When they had left, and she guessed they were a safe distance away, she sneaked outside. The doors were just open enough for her to squeeze through.  
  
Making her way down the steps quickly, she looked at the path ahead of her. It had seemed much shorter from the top of the tower. She moved quickly, hoping the elvish material hid her as well as Gandalf had said it would. She was surprised at how light on her feet she had become. Perhaps it was either from all the stair climbing she had to do to move throughout Orthanc, or just the adrenaline, but Belamir was going much faster than she had expected.  
  
She had almost made it past the caverns when she looked back, and saw two different orcs going back to the front entrance. Their backs were turned, so she ran as fast as she could and hid behind a stump. She was going to have to be more careful and move more quickly now that they were back.  
  
~*~  
  
Within five days, she had made it to Rohan without any real trouble, and she was thankful. She was unarmed and felt rather vulnerable, out in the open. The city of Edoras stood before her, and she paused before making her way quickly up to the gates.  
  
As she has expected, a guard stopped her. "Who are you, and what business do you have with Rohan?" he asked, as a few men grabbed her by the arms. She resisted her natural tendencies to struggle, and cleared her throat.  
  
"My name is Belamir. I ask for nothing but a fast horse, and perhaps and meal and a sword." She said, and held her head up proudly. "I was told that I would be given no trouble when I came here, and I hope that holds true. I bring no trouble, and hope for none in return."  
  
The guard though for a moment and nodded to his men to let her go. "Very well." He said, and led her through the gates and into the city. "We shall give you a horse and a sword. If you wish, we can supply you with a change of clothes and a few provisions as well."  
  
Belamir smiled in gratitude. "Thank you, sir. I'd like that."  
  
A/N : Okay. I hadn't really planned this out, so I ended up leaving off with her in Rohan.I meant to end with Bree, but.Oh well. Sorry about the wait. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can. I'll start working on it within a few days, and get it typed up and posted whenever I get the chance. Anyway, review please. I live off of those things.  
  
By the way, to those of you who questioned, the R rated part will be coming.as soon as I get the chance to work it into the story, and get the confidence to write it. That's why you guys have gotta review- so I don't think I suck too badly and I write what you want! :D Okay.bye!  
  
Disclaimer: I am not Tolkien, so I don't own Lord of the Rings. Haven't we figured this out yet? 


	7. Ride from Rohan

The Red Rose of Gondor  
  
Chapter Seven -  
  
"Excuse me, milady," said a voice, and Belamir looked up with a start to see a young woman with long blonde hair standing in the doorway. "Would you mind if I ate with you?"  
  
She shook her head and swallowed the bite of bread in her mouth before speaking. "Of course not," she said with a smile. "I have greatly missed the company of others. I spent long years alone."  
  
The woman smiled, got herself a plate and drink and sat down. "My name is Eowyn. What is yours?"  
  
"Belamir," she said, taking a sip from her cup. The water was cool and refreshing.  
  
"That name sounds familiar, though I cannot recall where I may have heard it," Eowyn said, and smiled. "You have the look of the people of Gondor. Where do you hail from, Belamir?"  
  
Belamir felt her cheeks flush. Sometimes she wished she could put a curse on Gandalf for never telling her of her origins. It often made for awkward situations when one could not recall where they came from. "From Isengard most recently, though I was not there of my own accord. Of where I was born, or where my parents reside, I have no idea or memory," she said with a sigh. "I spent all of my childhood traveling about. And you, Eowyn?"  
  
"I am from here in Rohan. My mother is sister to the King," she said. "What is your age? For you look like but a child, yet your manner suggests you are much older, or else wise beyond your years."  
  
Belamir laughed. "Apparently one does not age much when locked away in the dark and forgotten, for I am not wise, nor am I a child," she said and smiled. "Indeed, I have most likely seen more years than you."  
  
Eowyn smiled. "I am in my twenty-third year."  
  
"Then I have surpassed you. I have lived thirty-two years, and near enough thirty-three," said Belamir with a laugh.  
  
Long after the meal was finished, the two women talked and laughed together. Their conversation carried late into the day, until a man pausing in the doorway interrupted them.  
  
"Excuse me," he said, clearing his throat loudly. "Miss, will you be staying the night?"  
  
Belamir shook her head. "No, I cannot. I should actually bee leaving. I fear I have tarried here too long," she said, getting up. "I have.things to do."  
  
She pressed a few gold coins into the man's hand. "Give these to whomever it concerns. I need a good horse, and perhaps a sword, although it is not quite as necessary."  
  
He nodded and waited as she and Eowyn said their good-byes. Belamir turned to her and smiled.  
  
"Farewell, Bela, and good luck on whatever path you must take so urgently," said Eowyn, and the two quickly embraced before Belamir went to follow the man.  
  
"Goodbye, Eowyn. I am certainly glad that to have found a friend in a place I had doubted I would be welcome," she said, and left down the Hall, hurrying to keep up with him.  
  
Equipped with a sword, a few provisions, and a fast stallion, Belamir set off toward Bree. It was a long road, but the horse was fast and she made it to the small town sooner than she would have guessed. She entered the Prancing Pony just as night began to fall on the 29th day of September. The weather was bad, and she shook rain out of her hair as she stepped inside.  
  
Ignoring the leers of strangers, she approached the bar. It took some time for the innkeeper to notice her. When he did, he took a double take and gasped. "Miss Bela?" he asked in amazement, gaping at her. "Is it really you?"  
  
"Yes, Barliman, it's me, although I'd appreciate it if you kept your greetings more subtle," she said with a laugh. "I do not wish for everyone here to know my name."  
  
He shook his head and laughed as well. "I had not seen you for so long, I had begun to think perhaps you had died! An' then you walk in here looking not but a year or two older than when I last saw you!"  
  
She smiled, not in the mood to have a long conversation at the moment. "Perhaps you could give me a room?" she asked. "And a beer. I've someone I am supposed to meet, and I'm rather thirsty." She took a few more gold coins out of her pocket and placed them on the counter.  
  
Barliman took the money and handed her a small key. "That's to room four. Go ahead and have a seat; I'll bring your drink to you as soon as it's ready."  
  
She went and found a table in a corner and sat down. 'No use in being obvious.' she thought, 'He won't be expecting me here anyway.'  
  
As the night wore on, Belamir began to lose hope. Maybe he just hadn't arrived yet, or worse, maybe she had missed him. She had just been about to go up to her room to sleep on it when four small, cloaked figures entered the inn. The one in front threw back his hood and approached the bar. She recognized the large, blue eyes.  
  
"Frodo?" she whispered under her breath.  
A/N: I know, I know, I've said that I was gonna get to Frodo, but it didn't work that way.he'll be in the next chapter, I promise!!! I'll get that up ASAP. Again, I promise. Not necessarily soon, but as soon as I can. No procrastinating this time! (  
  
Being a band-geek, I must brag about this: I got picked for both District and County Band! Go me! Sorry.I'm very proud of me.had to let people know.  
  
Disclaimer: I've gone over this six times already.hopefully you get the point by now.  
  
I'm not Tolkien = I don't own Lord of the Rings  
  
Yeah.hope you all understand.. 


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